By Chinenye Anuforo
Victory Wilson is a lady of many parts. She is a multi-award winning TV presenter and media personality; a professional Event Compere/MC, Voiceover Artist and a business lady.
In this interview with Daily Sun, she speaks about herself, journalism and women in politics.
You are into broadcasting, is it what you have always wanted to do or it just happened by chance?
Right from my primary school days, with the support of my mother, I loved to read the news and play mc during school events. It was fun for me but I never really took it seriously as to say my dream was to be a TV host. In fact, my dream was to be a lawyer, a respected activist and live my life positively to help people but I never factored in broadcast journalism as a profession. Gladly, I still get to impact lives positively through my job.
This profession chose me and I am glad I accepted it. Nothing happens by chance and my career as a broadcast journalist definitely didn’t happen by chance because those events I hosted and news I read for fun while growing up all played a huge role in shaping my career and personality; they gave me the necessary knowledge i needed for the job and all I had to do was just brush up my skill rather than start from scratch. The entire experience was needed and worth it.
How has your experience been in the field?
It has been a beautiful and successful one so far. The journey has been fulfilling. I feel like this is what I am created to be; to do. In a space of five years as a professional broadcast journalist, I have been awarded the National TV Presenter of the Year 2023, by The Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, I have also received the award for the Media Personality of the year 2023 courtesy Scream Awards, and about five other awards and notable recognitions for my works. My TV/Radio show has received multiple awards as well.
I wouldn’t want to go on listing the accolades so we don’t drift from the fact that I am just a grateful girl that has experienced fulfilment and success as a result of hard work and doing what God wants me to do and the best is definitely yet to come.
What are your challenges?
It goes without a saying that if gold must be gold, it must pass through fire. So where there is a success story, there are definitely thorns too; personally, I embrace them as a necessity to move forward. Away from just me, I think one of the biggest challenge for every media personality right now would be visibility on social media. We are now in that era where if care isn’t taken, people would regard the popular individuals on social media more than the actual media professionals but we have embraced the challenge and definitely owning our space.
Let’s talk about the Newsroom politics. How have you been able to handle them?
Man is political by nature. Whatever field you find yourself, there will be politics even in church. I find myself in a space where I am the youngest in the company and I have to work with older and really older colleagues. Trust me, it’s not easy but with the right people management skill which luckily for me I think is inborn and shaped by experience, I manage. How I handle it, is ask God for wisdom and try to deal with every issue in the most calm way possible even when I don’t feel like it. Emphasis is on ‘try’ because dealing with people isn’t the easiest.
There are few women in journalism and we still need the number to come up. What advice would you give to young girls that want to come into this field?
To every young girl that aspires to be a broadcast journalist, a successful woman of substance in your respective fields, your dream is valid and success definitely wants you too. Invest in yourself; Keep your focus and stay true to your dream. It won’t be easy but that dream is all you have and you have to fight for it. Do not let whatever situation around you dictate the direction of your future, instead, Rise above them. Don’t conform to what people say is the norm. Be your authentic self and be one with a difference. The world is noisy but don’t be distracted. In every action you take; make sure you stand out. Do every necessary positive thing you can to succeed. Even when you have every reason to fail, choose success and hold on tight to god. You deserve the very best! Never settle for less.
You recently won an award as the best overall graduating student in M.sc. Industrial Relations and Personnel Management. How do you feel about it and what do you think that make you stand out from others?
The award for the best overall graduating M.Sc student in IRPM from the prestigious University of Lagos is my most recent achievement. One of the most beautiful feathers added to my hat that I am super grateful to God for. I went, saw and conquered by grace indeed. Winning is beautiful! There were tears! Really Hot tears! Times when I thought of dropping out because I felt I couldn’t go on any longer. I had had to juggle work, business with other trainings and school at the same time. There was a night during my first semester exams I was having difficulty studying after the day’s stress. That night after being completely frustrated, I wept my heart out like a child flogged with koboko and kept asking myself ‘who sent me?’ But I am a finisher and I love to see things to the end. I love to complete projects successfully and this wasn’t going to be an exception. So, I gave it my all and God crowned my efforts with success.
I am the first from my family in my father and mother’s lineage to make a first class in first degree and to have a Masters Degree. God didn’t just use me to break that yoke but made it a solid Masters degree. You can imagine the excitement in both families after they heard the news. We are all still celebrating. Glory to God and the best is yet to come.
Can you share your thoughts about women in politics? Do you think we have enough women in politics and those already in politics, do you think they are doing enough to bring more women on board?
Women are leaders and history has shown that too but in Nigeria it’s sad that we don’t have enough women in politics today. Our country ranks in the bottom ten globally in women’s representation in national parliaments, according to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The number of women in Nigeria’s National Assembly has fallen by 19 percent compared to the last assembly, with women now occupying 3 percent of seats in the Senate and 4 percent in the House of Representatives.
This challenge of gender representation persists and I think as women, we need to do more. We need to be more involved in government and our women leaders already serving should encourage and support other women with the same vision; create more opportunities for other women. We should also maintain our integrity and prove that we are good leaders and electing us into office or appointing us to serve isn’t a step in the wrong direction but a step in the right direction that would benefit the nation.